Gretsch Company Artifacts & Musical Instruments
About the Collection
Collection preserves and showcases a diverse array of electric and acoustic guitars made by the Gretsch Company over the last 100 years. From its beginnings as a maker of drums in 1883, the Gretsch Company has developed and expanded into one of the best recognized makers of drums and guitars in the world. Please enjoy exploring this carefully curated collection of instruments that have shaped the sound of popular music for generations. Every instrument you will see here tells a story of craftsmanship, innovation, and the enduring appeal of "that great Gretsch sound!"
For more information about the artifacts in the Gretsch Collection, please contact Dr. Matthew Hill, Curator at mhill@georgiasouthern.edu.
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Duo-Jet guitar, model PX6128
Gretsch Company
"13 1/4" wide, 2" deep, single cutaway, mahogany body, 2 chrome DeArmond pickups, 3 knobs on lower treble bout, 1 knob on cutaway, 1 switch on upper bass bout, Gretsch G cut tailpiece, white pickguard, triple-bound top, single-bound fingerboard and headstock, 'Gretsch script' logo on headstock, 24 1/2" scale, chrome hardware, ebony fingerboard with block inlays, Melita bridge, original open back tuners. Original case. Rare Duo Jet with 'Gretsch script' logo on headstock. Knobs have no 'G/Arrow' and the guitar has what looks like a factory stock white pickguard. The bottom bass bout has a metal 'Gretsch t-roof' logo on the body. Very unusual. A very nice clean guitar!"
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Duo-Jet guitar, model PX6128
Gretsch Company
Custom Sparkle (Champagne) Double Cutaway
"13 1/4" wide, 2" deep, double cutaway, mahogany body, 2 gold Super'Tron pickups, 2 (G/Arrow plastic) knobs on lower treble bout with 1 switch, 1 knob on cutaway, 2 switches on upper bass bout, gold Gretsch v-cut / Bigsby Vibrato, bound top, single-bound fingerboard and headstock, 'Gretsch t-roof' logo on headstock, 24 1/2" scale, gold hardware, ebony fingerboard with Neo-Classic inlays, roller bridge, original open back tuners."
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Duo-Jet Sparkle guitar, model PX6128
Gretsch Company
Silver Sparkle
"13 1/4" wide, 2" deep, double cutaway, mahogany body, two chrome Filter'Tron pickups, 2 (G/Arrow) knobs on lower treble bout, one knob on cutaway, two switches on upper bass bout, Gretsch / Burns Vibrato, Black pickguard with Gretsch logo in white, bound top, single-bound fingerboard and headstock, 'Gretsch t-roof' logo on headstock, 24 1/2" scale, chrome hardware, ebony fingerboard with Neo-Classic inlays, roller bridge, original open back tuners."
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Eldorado guitar, model 6041
Gretsch Company
Arch Top Acoustic
"18" wide single-cutaway body with bound F holes and triple-bound/ gold sparkle top and back, G tailpiece, gold Grover Imperial tuners, Gretsch T roof logo on the headstock. Neo-Classic inlays on ebony fingerboard. Gretsch black pickguard and original rosewood bridge."
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Eldorado guitar, model X6040
Gretsch Company
"18" wide single-cutaway body with bound F holes and triple-bound/ gold sparkle top and back, G gold tailpiece, gold Grover Imperial tuners, Gretsch T roof logo on the headstock. Neo-Classic inlays on ebony fingerboard. Gretsch black pickguard and original rosewood bridge."
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Electromatic Hawaiian guitar
Gretsch Company
"Symmetrical lap steel guitar shape mahogany body with rope-pattern top binding, wood pickup cover, knobs on opposite sides wood fingerboard, dot markers, 6-on a side Harlin Bothers tuners, Gretsch - Electromatic diagonally across the headstock, with musical note above logo. Lap steel made for Gretsch by Valco. This model is a later version of the instrument #283 with knobs set back."
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Electromatic Student Lap Steel guitar, model 6150
Gretsch Company
"Hawaiian 6-string lap steel with symmetrical body, 2 knobs, metal bridge / pickup set up, 3 on a side tuners, metal 'Gretsch and Electromatic' name plate at the headstock. Cable attached to instrument. With original tweed case."
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Gold Duke, Corvette guitar, model PX6133
Gretsch Company
"Solid body 13 1/2" wide, asymmetrical double cutaway, 2 HiLo'Tron pickups, 2 tuners on the bass side, 4 tuners on the treble side, black pickguard, three knobs, 1 switch, Bigsby / Gretsch B5 vibrato. A very rare Gold Duke model, all stock."
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Gretsch Anniversary guitar, model PX6125
Gretsch Company
"16" wide single cutaway 2 1/2" deep bound body with 1 Filter'Tron pickup, 1 "G/Arrow" knob on cutaway bout, 1 switch on upper bass bout, G tail piece unbound rosewood fingerboard with Neo-Classic inlay and roller bridge. Gretsch t-roof logo and "anniversary 'Diamond' model" plate on headstock. w/ original Gretsch case. First year of the Anniversary model. This is a clean guitar with original case."
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Gretsch guitar, model No. 35
Gretsch Company
"Orchestra Model 16" unbound body with small 'f' holes, carved spruce top, maple back and sides, adjustable rosewood bridge, dot inlay ebony fingerboard, rosewood peghead veneer with pearl scroll Gretsch logo diagonally across peghead. Original tuners and trapeze tailpiece. Missing pickguard. Non-original case."
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Gretsch Jr. guitar, model Acoustic
Gretsch Company
"Small body acoustic with arched top and back, round sound hole. Plastic/ bakelite adjustable bridge, chrome tailpiece. Pearl headstock with 'Gretsch-Jr.' painted on in black, non-original tuners, non-original case."
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Gretsch Orchestra guitar, model No. 45
Gretsch Company
"Orchestra Model 16" 3 ply bound body with small 'f' holes, carved spruce top, maple back and sides, adjustable rosewood stain bridge, dot inlay ebony fingerboard, black plastic peghead veneer with pearl scroll Gretsch logo diagonally across peghead. Non-original tuners, original trapeze tailpiece and black Bakelite pickguard. Non-original case."
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Guitar, 6 String, Gretsch, Synchromatic 100 model
Gretsch Company
Arch Top Acoustic
"Synchromatic 16" wide non cutaway body with bound large catseye holes, hump shield unbound headstock with 'Gretsch - Synchromatic' script logo, rosewood fingerboard with large block inlays. Stairstep bridge. Original gold hardware with harp tailpiece and Kluson oversized case tuners."
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Guitar, 6 String, Gretsch, Synchromatic 115
Gretsch Company
Arch Top Acoustic
"Synchromatic 16" wide non-cutaway body with tortoiseshell celluloid binding on top, back and fingerboard, stairstep rosewood bridge, chrome trapeze harp tailpiece, 'Gretsch - Synchromatic' script logo on unbound rounded top peghead, rosewood fingerboard with block inlay. Mid-size 'f' holes, original tuners. Tortoiseshell celluloid pickguard. Original case."
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Hollow-Body Bass guitar, model PX6070
Gretsch Company
"Long scale 17" wide double cutaway body with painted-on f-holes, 1 gold Super'Tron style bass pickup, 1 knob on the top treble bout, 1 switch on the top bass bout, 1 switch on the lower treble bout with flip-up mute, gold G tailpiece, white thumb/finger rests on both sides, bass roller bridge, two on a side large tuners, pad on the back. With original padded gig bag."
